What do Trump demands mean for Smithsonian’s independence?
In a conflict with the Trump administration that threatens to alter the museum’s historic independence from the executive branch, the Smithsonian Institution faces a Jan. 13 deadline to turn over documents relating to its contents to the government or face possible funding cuts.
The world’s largest museum and research complex, comprising 21 free museums in Washington that focus on American history, art, air and space, makes its own decisions about its exhibits and how to present historical stories. Around 17 million people visit museums every year.
The deadline marks a potential turning point in President Donald Trump’s year-long effort to manage what visitors see at the Smithsonian’s museums, including during the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The Smithsonian did not immediately say whether it would comply with Mr. Trump’s request.
Why we wrote this
The Smithsonian Institution receives federal funds but, historically, has made its own decisions about how to tell the American story. Now the Trump White House wants to make sure museum exhibits are consistent with its ideology.
He ordered an end to funding for exhibits that “divide Americans on the basis of race,” a review of historical exhibits in national parks, and a “focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.” While many supporters of President Trump say that highlighting historical divisions can diminish Americans’ sense of national pride, many historians say it is important to address the darker aspects of American history, in order to prevent negative actions from happening again.
“Museums and how they tell stories are always under scrutiny,” says Suse Anderson, head of the museum studies program at George Washington University. “This is because the work of museums is deeply important because it reflects the people themselves.”
But, Ms. Anderson says, the aggressiveness with which the Trump administration is pursuing its goals is unlike anything the Smithsonian has experienced before.
“Those in power are always trying to get the official message across within museums to align their vision with what they are trying to achieve,” she says. “This is one of the reasons why museums have developed professional practices, codes of ethics, and why their institutional independence is so important.”
Remove “bad ideology”
The Smithsonian is a uniquely structured institution. It is overseen by a board of regents made up of citizens as well as members of all three branches of the U.S. government. About 63 percent of the Smithsonian’s budget of more than $1 billion is funded by congressional appropriations.
In March 2025, Mr. Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Reason to American History.” He accused the Smithsonian of rewriting history in a way that contributed to a sense of “national shame.”
The president also ordered Vice President J.D. Vance to leverage his position on the Smithsonian Board of Trustees to remove exhibits or programs with “inappropriate ideology.” Examples included exhibits featuring transgender athletes and those presenting race as a social rather than biological issue or construct.
Then, last August, the Trump administration wrote to the Smithsonian secretary to announce a comprehensive review of the contents of eight museums ahead of America’s 250th birthday celebration. The review aimed to ensure that museums “celebrate American exceptionalism” and “remove narratives that are divisive or partisan.” A follow-up letter dated Dec. 18 accused the Smithsonian of failing to turn over all requested materials and set a Jan. 13 deadline for the rest, noting that much of the Smithsonian’s funding came from federal money, controlled by Congress.
The National Portrait Gallery, part of the Smithsonian, last week removed a label accompanying Mr. Trump’s portrait in the museum’s “American Presidents” exhibit, which included text saying he had been “impeached twice, for abuse of power and inciting insurrection.” It is unclear whether this is related to the dispute between the museum complex and the administration.
Since at least 2020, Mr. Trump and conservative commentators have criticized the Smithsonian for incorporating what they call a left-wing agenda. A 2020 exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture drew particular ire for cataloging traits of “white dominant culture,” including hard work and the nuclear family. Following negative reactions, the museum removed the exhibit and apologized.
Mr. Trump also accused museums of overemphasizing dark aspects of American history, such as slavery, and downplaying American achievements. The public response is mixed. Overall, 6 in 10 people oppose Mr. Trump’s efforts to review the Smithsonian’s content, but nearly 70 percent of Republicans indicate support, according to an August Quinnipiac University poll.
David Blight, a professor of history at Yale and a member of the National Portrait Gallery’s board of curators, says that while disagreements often arise over a particular exhibition, outside interference, particularly from politicians, is not necessary. There are mechanisms within the independent structure of the museum, he notes, to have constructive debates and then find solutions.
“You can have great fights, but that’s professionalism,” he says.
A precedent of independence
Sarah Weicksel, executive director of the American Historical Association and former historian at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, says complexity is part of the museum experience.
“A museum is never intended to produce a single definitive story,” explains Ms. Weicksel. It is “an entry point for visitors to learn, wonder, and continue exploring once they leave this museum.”
Museum exhibits typically undergo a lengthy internal review before being opened to the public. Blight says this process often takes two to three years and involves gathering feedback from groups of academics, as well as experts in audio and visual displays.
Throughout history, some museum exhibits have sparked public controversy. In the mid-1990s, for example, a planned exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum featuring a renovated Enola Gay — the B-29 plane that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War II — was criticized by many veterans and citizens who said the scenario presented American soldiers as vengeful. The exhibition was ultimately canceled.
However, experts say that while the Smithsonian has overcome heated conflicts, it has resolved them independently through intellectual discussions. The difference today, they say, is that the presidential administration is trying to use its power to influence what should or should not be posted.
On Monday afternoon, Shawn Tes and her husband, Sam Tes, just finished touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This is the first time the two Alaskans have visited Washington, and they are concerned about Mr. Trump’s plans for the Smithsonian.
“We’ve been talking about it since we came here,” Ms Tes says. “This visit brings us a lot of emotions. »
Mr. Tes is a naturalized refugee who came to the United States from Cambodia in 1980. He says visiting Washington and visiting museums makes him very “proud.”
“There’s a lot at stake,” says Ms. Tes. “We’ve come this far – have you been there?” » she asks, pointing behind her to the African American History Museum.
“We cannot move forward and heal if we do not acknowledge the past. »
